Blast
HOLLY JOHNSON
BLAST
1961: Born in Rio De Janiero, 9/2/61.
1966: St. Mary’s Primary School, Liverpool.
1972: Liverpool Collegiate School for Boys.
1973: Stopped attending. Obtained first guitar with cigarette coupons and began writing songs. Inspired by Marc Bolan and David Bowie.
1977: Officially left school. Joined Big in Japan as bass player and lyricist. Started reading William Burroughs.
1979: Recorded first solo single (on the Eric’s label), “Yankee Rose” b/w “Treasure Island” and “Desperate Dan.”
1980: Recorded “Hobo Joe” b/w “Stars of the Bars,” also released on the Eric’s label in the UK. Formed the original Frankie Goes To Hollywood. Rehearsed for three months. but left to work on a studio-based project for the next two years called W.I.N.
1983: Major record deal was not forthcoming. Formed the second version of Frankie Goes To Hollywood with Mark O’Toole and Peter Gill with additions the following year.
1984: Signed with ZIT Records and applied to Art College in Liverpool. In November “Relax” was released and therefore eliminated the chance of going to college.
January saw “Relax” reach #1 in the U.K. and stay there for 5 weeks.
In June, the second single “Two Tribes” was released and again hit #1 in the UK, this time for an unbelievable 9 weeks, while “Relax” re-entered the charts at #2.
In October/November. Holly and the band embarked on their first U.S. tour, where their LP sold over 750,000 copies. December saw the simultaneous release of “The Power Of Love” single and debut LP Welcome To The Pleasuredome, both of which reached #1 in the UK.
1985: World tour, including Japan. Began writing and recording the second LP. Liverpool. Highlight: met Andy Warhol.
1986: Finished Liverpool. In November, released “Rage Hard,” which reached #4 in the U.K. and #1 in Gennany.
1987: U.K. and European tour. “Warrior of the Wasteland” and “Watching The Wildlife” single released. In March, left band to pursue a solo career. Spurred on by his manager, Holly began legal proceedings against ZIT in order to free him from unfair recording and publishing agreements.
1988: In February, injunction preventing Holly from recording is lifted. He then began negotiations with MCA and started recording his debut solo LP.
1989: Release of solo single “Love Train” in the U.K., which entered the charts there at #21 and reached #4. The single also went Top 5 all over Europe.
In March, second U.K. single “Americanos” is released, entering charts at #27 and looking set to repeat Holly’s previous Top 5 success.
1989: Blast, Holly’s long-awaited debut solo LP, released in the U.K. April 24th. Producers contributing to the album include Dan Hartman (“I Can Dream About You”), Stephen Hague (Pet Shop Boys, New Order, OMD) and Steve Lovell (Julian Cope, A Flock Of Seagulls, Samantha Fox). Besides “Love Train” and “Americanos,” key tracks include “Heavens Here” and “Atomic City.”
Also in April, Holly goes on promotional European tour. In the U.K., he participates with Paul McCartney. The Christians and others in a new single of “Ferry Across The Mersey,” released to benefit victims of Hillsborough football match tragedy.
May saw the release of “Love Train” as Blast’s first U.S. single. The LP itself follows June 7th as Holly’s momentum kicks in with no end in sight…